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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22873543">to build a home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianryuko/pseuds/lesbianryuko'>lesbianryuko</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Merribela Week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Dragon Age II - Act 1, F/F, Fluff, Gift Giving, Pre-Femslash, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:07:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,143</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22873543</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbianryuko/pseuds/lesbianryuko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Varric brings Isabela along to get some housewarming gifts for Merrill.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Isabela/Merrill (Dragon Age)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Merribela Week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1644226</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Merribela Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>to build a home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hi!! i'm running merribela week on <a href="https://merribelaweek.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/merribelaweek">twitter</a> and today (sunday) is the first day so i wrote this for one of the prompts, "act 1"! title is from "to build a home" by the cinematic orchestra</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“No offense, Varric,” Isabela says as they wander the streets of Lowtown, “but why did you choose <em> me </em> for this expedition?”</p><p>Varric stops at a merchant’s table and starts sifting through the knickknacks, holding each one up and examining it in the sunlight. “Because, Rivaini,” he says smoothly, “you’re the only other person I know who has responded positively to Daisy’s integration into our little gang...and who actually has coin to spare.”</p><p>Isabela snorts. She was about to mention the Hawke siblings, but they certainly can’t afford anything unnecessary, and a housewarming gift for Merrill, while sweet, would definitely count as “unnecessary.” Aveline could probably buy something small, but she looks at Merrill like the poor girl is about to burst into demons at any moment, and Fenris and Anders don’t match either of Varric’s requirements.</p><p>“It’s a nice idea,” she says as she scans the items for sale. “I just…I’m not very good at giving gifts, I don’t think. I have no idea what she’d like.”</p><p>“I think she’d be happy to have anything,” Varric replies. “It’s the thought that counts, right?”</p><p>He’s right; of course he’s right, but Isabela still finds herself hesitating to even pick anything up. How is she supposed to know what Merrill would like? They only just met. Still, she forces herself to take a closer look at the little trinkets. Surely there’s something here that Merrill could use to brighten up her home.</p><p>At first, nothing sticks out to her. Varric has already chosen a little green amulet, a plain and simple thing that would go well with most of Merrill’s belongings. Other than that, though, she doesn’t see anything that really screams “Merrill.” Then, just as she’s about to give up and move on to another merchant selling similar goods, something catches her eye.</p><p>Near the back of the display, partially hidden behind some Andraste-themed statuettes, Isabela finds what looks to be a small wooden halla figure, hand-carved. She can’t find a name etched anywhere on it, but it’s most likely Dalish—and, she’ll admit, it’s a cute little thing.</p><p>“Oh, wow,” Varric says, glancing over at her. “Good find. That’s perfect.”</p><p>“It really is,” she agrees as she starts to pull some coin out of her bra.</p><p>Varric raises an eyebrow. “You know, if you’d just wear something with pockets, then you wouldn’t have to do that.”</p><p>“That’s a lose-lose,” Isabela says. Then, shifting the topic of conversation back to Merrill, she adds, “Hey—is this really enough, Varric? It doesn’t feel like enough.”</p><p>Varric chuckles. “Gotta say, Rivaini, I never took you for a philanthropist.”</p><p>Isabela rolls her eyes. “Oh, shut it. I just feel like...well, she’s in such an unfamiliar place, and she doesn’t really have anyone. The least we can do is make her feel more comfortable at home.” Immediately after she says it, she scowls and presses a threatening finger into Varric’s chest. “Never breathe a word of this to anyone, dwarf, or you won’t be breathing at all before long.”</p><p>Varric holds his hands up innocently. “Hey, my lips are sealed.”</p><p>Isabela huffs and shakes her head. “Why do I not believe you?”</p><p>As they walk away from the merchant’s stand with their gifts, Isabela racks her brain for another idea. It feels like they’re missing something. Suddenly, it hits her.</p><p>“Daisies!” she blurts.</p><p>Varric narrows his eyes. “Yeah, what about her?”</p><p>“No, not Daisy; <em> daisies</em>,” Isabela says. “You said she keeps picking flowers out of people’s gardens in Hightown, right? We should get her some.”</p><p>Varric laughs. “You know, for someone who claims to be bad at giving gifts, I’d say you’ve got a knack for it.”</p><p>“Shh. Don’t tell anyone.”</p><p>—</p><p>Merrill’s house in the alienage, while small, is relatively clean, but Merrill still apologizes for what she perceives to be a huge mess. Isabela isn’t really the best judge of what a nice home looks like, though, considering that she’s spent most of her life either on a ship or in any number of cheap taverns, of which the Hanged Man is only the most recent. Compared to that and most of their other companions’ homes—Gamlen’s house, a dilapidated mansion, the literal fucking sewers—Merrill’s place seems positively cozy.</p><p>“So, what brings you two here?” she asks, curiously eyeing the bouquet of daisies in Varric’s hand.</p><p>“The Rivaini and I thought we’d get you a couple of housewarming gifts,” Varric explains with a smile. “To make you feel more comfortable here in Kirkwall.”</p><p>“Oh, please,” Isabela says, feeling her cheeks heat up just slightly. “It was Varric’s idea. He just invited me along.”</p><p>Merrill covers her face with her hands. “Oh, that’s so sweet of you both! Are those flowers for me?”</p><p>“Indeed they are,” Varric replies. “Do you have an empty vase anywhere?”</p><p>Merrill jumps up from her chair. “Oh! Yes, I do! Hang on!”</p><p>She scurries across the hall into her bedroom and returns half a minute later with a nice little vase full of water. She sets it down in the center of the table closest to the front door, and then Varric drops the daisies in.</p><p>“We got you some other things, too,” he adds, pulling the amulet and the statuette out of his coat. This is one of those times where pockets would have actually come in handy—not that she’s ever going to admit to Varric that she might have planned poorly for today’s excursion.</p><p>Merrill gasps and reluctantly takes the gifts from him. “Oh, these are both so lovely,” she coos, turning the amulet over and over in her hand, then turning her attention to the halla figure.</p><p>“I found that one,” Isabela says sheepishly. “The halla. I thought it would be perfect for you.”</p><p>“Oh, it is!” Merrill says. “And I know just where to put it, too!”</p><p>She runs back across the hall, beckoning for Varric and Isabela to follow her.</p><p>The bedroom is much more spare than the main room; it could definitely use some livening up. Merrill places the halla statuette on the little side table next to her bed. “That way it’s one of the first things I see when I wake up, and one of the last ones I see when I go to sleep.”</p><p>Isabela turns her face away from Merrill so that she won’t see her blush.</p><p>“That’s sweet of you, Kitten,” she says with a smile.</p><p>“No, <em> you’re </em> the sweet ones,” Merrill replies. “Thank you so much for doing this. My house feels livelier already.”</p><p>With that, she leans down and wraps her arms around Varric, then turns to Isabela and hugs her, too, her small and dainty body fitting itself snugly against hers. Everything about her is soft: her clothes, her skin, her hair, her voice.</p><p>Isabela could almost cry. She won’t, obviously, but she could.</p>
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